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The healing power of the pen! How a technique called expressive writing can lift your mood, improve your immune system and give your brain a boost.

When things go wrong, you might think that focusing on the bad and writing about them would make things worse. But in some cases, the opposite seems to be true.

Michael Mosley investigates a technique called β€œexpressive writing”, a simple tip which can have surprising benefits for your health. The idea is to set aside 15 minutes to write about any worries that keep you up at night, showing many benefits - from improving lung function in people with asthma, to improving scores on exams and cognitive tests.

In this episode, Michael Mosley speaks to the man who kick-started it all, Professor James Pennebaker from the University of Texas, Austin. He tells Michael about his original findings in the 1980s and the astonishing link between expressive writing, reduced doctor’s visits, your immune system and how quickly your body heals wounds…

Available now

14 minutes

Last on

Fri 22 Mar 2024 14:45

Broadcasts

  • Wed 15 Mar 2023 09:30
  • Fri 22 Mar 2024 14:45

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